Measurement of Oil Film Pressure on a Crank Shaft Journal in a Horizontally-Opposed Cylinder Engine

Reciprocating engines in GA (General Aviation) are seeking for a smaller, lighter and a more reliable solution. The authors have succeeded in accurately measuring the load distribution in an actual engine utilizing a thin-film sensor which can measure loads on various sliding surfaces. Moreover, a novel test rig was developed for a completely new attempt to reproduce those measured loads in the engine to provide feedback for lightweight design. This paper introduces an example of the lightweight design in the peripheral of a crankshaft journal.